Collection

This collection focusses on the cuisine and rituals of dinner events, in both restaurants and on certain carriers between 1853 and the 2000s. More specifically, it illustrates culinary preferences, the ingredients available, the dishes served in restaurants and on board certain carriers, the cost of meals, and the customs and decorum associated with serving meals during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. The collection also chronicles the dinner activities of clubs and associations, as well as banquets and receptions held on holidays or to commemorate individuals and events. Furthermore, it documents the advertising approaches of certain restaurants, the opinions expressed by certain restaurant critics and tourism-related food trends.

The majority of the documents are from the Montreal region, but several other cities are represented as well, including London, Paris, Ottawa, Cologne and Quebec City. The collection contains menus, invitations, gala programs and lists of toasts, seating plans, flyers, tourist and promotional brochures, press clippings and guides. Most of these records are printed documents.